Oakswood 9

[Demandred]

This is part 9.... as the title suggests... :]

- Dem



Oakswood 9


I thought about what I'd agreed to all night. This guy could kill me, and I'd agreed to ?take him down?, to pretty much kill him if I had to. I was glad it was 7am ? it only gave me a few hours to think about it.

When he woke up, I told Kane about what the Headmaster had said. He stopped nuzzling at my neck, and any sleepiness from just waking up quickly disappeared.

?We can bring Sophia back by killing a guy,? he said suspiciously. ?Don't get me wrong Nathe, I want Sophia back. I really do. But that's breaking the fucking law. Killing people is bad, remember??

?He's the one who's killing people. Even the Head said it,? I told him. ?We're doing everyone a favour. And we don't have to kill him, just knock him out or something.?

?I don't like it.? Kane folded his arms. ?I really don't like it, at all.?

?I'm going to find him tonight,? I said. ?If you aren't part of the solution, Kane...?

?Don't get pissy with me, Mr Muscle. I'm coming with you.?

?Good.? Kane could get help quicker than I could, and if need be he could take the body to the Head. We couldn't leave it outside, could we? I had no intention of getting caught. This detainment of a nutty killer was more complicated than I had first anticipated.

?Maybe we should ask around, see what people know about him,? Kane suggested. ?If he's a TA, then Kyle might know something.?

?Yeah. Maybe he does.? I yawned, stretching my arms out and knocking my set of drawers over.

That was how I found myself knocking on Kyle's door to see what he knew. When he opened the door and met with my chest, he gaped up at me.

?Are you ever going to stop growing??

?I don't think so. Can I talk to you??

?Uhh, sure.? Kyle opened his door fully, and I thought I heard him stifle a bark as I walked past. I didn't want to risk sitting on his bed, so I stayed stood.

?Sit down Nathan, you make the place look tiny as it is.?

?You like your bed fixed, right??

?Fair point.? Kyle sat on it himself, peering up at me. ?You are so...?

?I'm not here to be worshipped. Maybe later though if you fancy it.? I grinned at him, but he actually looked disappointed.

?It's the eyes. And the biceps. And the shoulders. And the chest...!?

?Kyle.? It was only one word, but the guy opened his eyes and had the grace to blush. ?I need to know everything you know about the History TA, Adam.?

?Adam?? Kyle didn't look at all confused or lustful then. He folded his arms and frowned up at me. ?What do you want to know about Adam for??

Ah. I didn't want to tell Kyle. I wasn't keen on the idea as it was. I wished I'd been a little more subtle in my wording.

?Er... ah... it's for Kane!? I found myself saying. ?He does History, and, ah, he...? I fumbled for something, anything.

?It's alright Nathan. I understand.?

?You... do??

?Yeah. It's normal to feel this way.?

?It is? I mean yeah, it is.?

?I sometimes get jealous of Kane.?

I wish I knew what Kyle was talking about. ?So what can you tell me??

?Adam.... I don't know him that well. Kinda quiet.?

?What's his power??

?Dunno. It's kinda rude to ask.?

?Oh. Where does he live??

?You can't go down there and have it out with him. It's kinda not the done thing. Kane likes you, not him.?

I shook my head and left the Maths teaching assistant to his own devices. Kane was stood outside the door so I nearly ran over him on my way into the corridor.

?I'm not here to be worshipped. Maybe later though if you fancy it.? Kane mimicked.

?I didn't realise you were listening in on my conversation.? I said patiently. ?It saves explaining it to you though.?

?That wasn't a conversation. That was a fucking chat-up session. You've basically fixed up a date with poodle boy. And I don't care if he can hear me!? Kane raised his voice at the closed door. ?Fucking-? I clapped a hand over his mouth, and whatever names he had in mind for Kyle were lost in my hand. So was his breathing ? my great mitt managed to smother his nose without any problems. When I thought he was calmer, or about to pass out, I moved my hand away.

?We didn't learn anything,? I told him. ?We need some kind of plan though. We can't just sweep down there and grab the guy. Well, I probably could, but he has a tendency to kill people without reason.?

?You're a dick.? Kane teleported away, leaving me in the corridor alone.

Running away again, I told myself as I went to the kitchen. Jennifer was there, pouring sweets from her hand into a bowl on the table. It was made of wood, which reminded me of Andy. Harry seemed to have salvaged all the wooden crockery, keeping it in his room for some reason I didn't dare ask. Nobody else questioned this behaviour either.

?Hey Jen,? I greeted her as I went to my fridge for something to eat. She waved with her free hand and took a grape when I returned to the table with a bunch. I began to sit down, but she held up a finger. ?What??

?You'll break it. You had trouble sitting on them before. You'll grow through the ceiling at this rate.?

?Probably,? I replied as I tenderly tried my weight upon the chair. Before I could get comfortable I heard the creaking of the wood, and decided that it might be easier to just stay stood up. ?Are you alright??

Jennifer sighed, pushing the bowl towards me. ?Sophia was my closest friend,? she said softly. ?The place feels empty now. It's not like when... you know...?

?Andy?? I asked.

?Yeah.? Jennifer barked a laugh. ?We're so going to hell aren't we??

?Damn right,? I grinned. ?I'm a leftie, I like guys and I've had sex before marriage. But at least all my friends are gonna be there ? and hey, Kane could just teleport us out again.? Seeing Jennifer's eyes begin to water, I reached down and cupped her head in my hands. It almost felt like I was trying not to squash an egg. ?Don't worry. Everything's going to be alright.?

?How can it be, Nathan? Someone's out there killing people!? Jennifer ruined the moment by putting a grape in her mouth. ?Sophia could defend herself, but she was killed. People like me and Harry don't have the luxury of an offensive power.?

I wanted to tell her what I was going to do. Maybe the shock of seeing Sophia alive would be worth the wait. ?I'm gonna finish that essay...? I said, taking the bowl of sweets with me.

I spent the rest of the day pretty much trying not to soil myself at the thought of what I was doing. If Kane was there, I would have had a much easier time. As it was I did my essay, did my reading and started drawing something for Art. I scrapped a dozen pages before giving up, because every one was either Kane, or something I was going to do to Kane when I saw him.

It was dark outside when I went down to the lake. I wished it was for something happier, like ice skating or a picnic. Sophia always said we'd go down, when it was warmer, and have a swim. I think it was that memory which stopped me from turning around and hiding in my room. It's strange what the idea of bringing the dead back did to a person.

I was wearing black, but I knew this wouldn't make much difference when it came to trying to hide me. Sticking out like a sore thumb anyway, I figured the best approach would be to take a walk myself and ?bump into? Adam on the way. When I reached the path, I realised I didn't actually know what he looked like. Kane knew, but he wasn't there to help me. Shit. I had to take the chance, though.

I must have walked for about half an hour, feeling like a bit of an idiot. It took about 20 minutes to get around the entire lake, and I was already fed up of the sight of the lake. It was pretty at night and the few lights about the place didn't detract from this, but even if my body didn't register it I knew it was really cold. Too cold for Adam to go for a walk, probably. I sat down on a bench, forgetting it was probably only used to people on a typical student diet, and nearly fell through the damn thing. I spread my weight, and managed to get comfortable whilst I waited to see if Adam would turn up.

There was someone, when I looked to the left. A tall, slim figure ambling along the path around the lake. I unclenched my fists, realising how nervous I was. I wished I knew who it really was.

The man got closer, and I stayed where I was sat. I didn't want him to think I was going to jump on him or something, not right away at least. There was a dog by his side, a bulldog of all things. It couldn't be Adam, not if he lived in the main school building, as pets weren't allowed.

?Excuse me?? The man asked, and the bench creaked as I jolted on it.

?Er, yeah?? I asked.

?You're Nathan Lane, aren't you??

?That's me,? I answered warily. ?Who wants to know?? I watched the dog as it trotted over, sniffing around my legs.

?Just a fan,? the man said with a smile. I was about to reply when I felt a strong set of teeth clamp onto my leg.

?Shit!? I jumped to my feet and shook my leg, but it wrapped itsself around my leg and was determined to hold on. I could see blood glistening through my tattered trousers, and I did what any meathead would do in such a fix ? I grabbed the dog and pulled it off whilst it was still biting at me. Painful didn't even begin to cover how it felt, the teeth scraping through more skin on the way out, but the dog ended up in the middle of the lake with an idle throw. I turned to face the man, only to find he wasn't there.

?Behind you, you great lump.? I turned to see he had his arms folded, sat on the bench.

?You're Adam, aren't you?? I asked with gritted teeth.

?That's me. I heard you were coming.? Adam waved at me, his melodious laugh making me shiver. He clicked his fingers, and my bleeding leg felt like it was on fire. I fell to the floor with a great thud, curling into a ball and clutching onto my leg even when it hurt more. Sweat poured from me when the pain subsided, and it took even longer to gain my voice back.

?Adam-? I began, but the man held his hand up and I shut my mouth.

?One more word, and I can shave that leg right off, bit by bit. An interesting power isn't it? All I need is a bit of blood and the rest... well, you saw Sophia.? He came and leaned down next to me, his eyes a pale blue obvious even in the dank light. ?Don't move, Nathan. This won't hurt too much... not at first, anyway.? He drew a knife, and gently pressed the tip of the blade against my chest. He was breathing heavier, and I realised he was actually a fucking lunatic. He was getting off on the idea of cutting me.

?Why?? I managed. I thought he was going to hurt me then, but Adam just smiled. His eyes glittered as he tossed his knife and caught it. I kept my eyes on it as he repeated this, hoping he didn't drop it on me.

?You haven't heard of the Mutation Theory, have you??

?Er-?

?Of course not, you meat head. The theory that a person's power takes control of them??

?Actually-?

?Don't get smart with me boy.? The knife stopped flipping, and Adam grabbed the handle with a grin. He leaned in close again. ?It can happen to anyone. One day, you just want to dominate. Do you know that feeling, Nathan? It must be strange to be on the receiving end....?

Kane suddenly appeared behind Adam, holding a brick over his head. There was no witty punchline, no moral cries, just a hard swoop into the side of Adam's face. The man toppled to the side, the knife forgotton.

?He's gonna be eating through a straw for the next few months,? Kane observed. He offered me a hand to help me up. ?Damnit Nathan, you're so stubborn. You didn't knock on my door or anything. I only realised you were here when I felt something attack your leg...?

I pulled on Kane to get to my feet, but instead Kane ended up landing on me.

?Now is not the time or place,? Kane admonished as he got up. ?Come 'ere...? Getting behind me, he pushed at my shoulders as I struggled to my feet. ?Damnit Nathe, you weigh a ton!?

?Don't be daft.? I tested my bleeding leg. It hurt ? a lot ? but I thought I could walk on it. ?You didn't kill him, did you??

?So what if I did? He was hurting you.? Kane put his hand in mine, but only long enough for a squeeze. ?Can you walk? I'm gonna teleport him to the Headmaster.?

?No, I can carry him. I don't want him out my sight.? I had some trouble bending over, but picking him up by his shirt didn't bother me in the slightest. ?Damn, you really hit him hard.?

?Nobody touches you, except me.? Kane scowled up at me. ?Come on then, it's fucking freezing. I could be inside by now.?

We walked to the Head's office, me carrying Adam and Kane leading the way. When we reached the main halls, I saw how badly cut my leg was.

?A bulldog did that?? Kane asked, hissing through his teeth. He didn't say anything else, but I could tell he was mad.

?Kane-? I began, but instead I poured my energy into making Adam hit every doorframe I had to squeeze through. By the time we got to the office we were both feeling a little more rational.

I went in without knocking, dumping Adam on the floor and sitting in one of the chairs by the fire. The Head looked at us with some surprise from his seat where he appeared to be doing a Sudoku.

?I'm gonna get the nurse,? Kane muttered as he disappeared.

I looked at the Head with a small grin. ?Got him,? I said. ?He should be alright, Kane just got a little too overexcited...?

?Did it feel good, attacking a man?? Asked the Head from his puzzle book. I blinked at him and gaped for an answer.

?Er... I didn't really attack him, he just kinda came up to me and did that thing he does...?

?Did it excite you, when Kane hit him??

?No,? I began. ?Hang on, what's that got to do with anything? I got you the killer. Can't we just bring Sophia back and leave it at that??

?Fine, have it your way.? The Head put the book down and stretched his limbs.

?No wonder my Mum thought you were a bit of a twat,? I muttered. Louder, I asked ?The Mutation Theory is true, isn't it??

?It is.? The Head replied shortly.

?Can it really happen to anyone?? I had to know.

?It can happen to anyone, but only when their powers are developing. I dare say when the repressor was broken, people with developing powers suddenly got caught up with the urge to dominate other people, to harm them. Adam was pretty normal until recently. See where I'm going with this??

I shook my head, but I knew what he was getting at. ?Do we have a load of killers running around the place, thanks to me??

?Not quite. Some people, like you, just get a little more aggressive.?

?Me?!? I returned, startled. Before the Head could answer, Kane reappeared with the nurse in tow.

?Oh my...? she breathed as she got to her knees beside Adam.

?Not him, you tool. Look at Nathan's leg!? Kane growled.

?It's fine,? I insisted.

?That dog could have been rabid Nathan, you might need all kinda of injections in your ass.? Kane folded his arms and watched as the nurse came over and rolled up the trouser leg, not minding the blood on her hands. The look on her face suggested she agreed with Kane.

?This will get infected if we don't treat it properly,? she said after looking at it for a moment.

?You're the nurse,? I shrugged.

?That's right. Now, trousers off.?

?What? It's below the knee. There's no need to strip me off.? Besides, I wasn't actually wearing any underwear. Nothing I had was quite big enough to wear without either sticking out alarmingly or threatening to make me infertile. The look on Kane's face told me he was fully aware of this. I reached down and tore my trouser leg off, the material tearing halfway up my thigh before I realised and sorted it out. My bleeding leg looked pretty rough, in the light of the office.

?You were attacked by a dog, Nathan?? The Head asked from where he was sat watching.

?Yeah. We were discussing this a few minutes ago.? I hissed as the nurse did her thing with my leg, clearing it up to see where the gashes were.

?It's not as bad as would have been if you didn't have such dense muscles,? the nurse observed. ?Though it was probably painful, by the looks of it this dog could bite through bones.?

?Shit,? Kane said under his breath.

?I should get in touch with my friend, get this little reviving session under-way.? The Headmaster got to his feet, and hesitated visibly before turning to the door which probably lead to his living quarters.

?I don't agree with this, not one bit.? The nurse rubbed some pink oil all over my leg before starting with the bandages. ?Let the dead rest, I say.?

?I don't think it's a regular occurance,? I said. ?Besides, we got this guy. He's been killing loads of people, it's only fair we get one back.?

?You can't quantify a human life,? Kane said. He seemed surprised with himself. ?Not that I don't want Sophia back.?

The sound of footsteps from the Headmaster's door had me look towards the door. For the first time since finding out he was my Dad, I saw Geoff. His baggy dressing gown still managed to highlight his impressive stature, but I wasn't as taken aback by it as the first time I saw him. After all, I was bigger than him.

?I'm just going to move him somewhere more secure.? Geoff picked Adam up gently and took him outside, though I still have no idea where they went.

?I didn't know he was upstairs,? Kane said. I felt a twinge of guilt for not telling him about the relationship between me and Geoff, and that between Geoff and the Headmaster. I figured I'd have to tell him everything at some point ? he was starting to get suspicious with me, I could tell. This innate little connection thing was not making things any simpler.

?Ok, you can go Nathan.? The nurse got up and put her things away. ?Your leg will be fine in a few days.?

?What are we doing about Sophia? When will she be back?? Kane asked. The nurse pursed her lips, and furrowed her brow at us.

?I wish you hadn't caught Adam. This reviving doesn't make things easier.? She sat down across from me, putting the bag on the floor. ?I've only seen one person revived in this way. Apparently there's more in America. They seem much like their normal selves, but there's something... not quite there. Something a little less sane about them. Sophia isn't going to be the same girl you were breaking tables with.?

I felt myself blush, but I didn't rise to her jibe.

?How long does it take?? Kane asked.

?Not long. A few minutes, though the man doing this is still in America so it might take a bit longer.?

?That's one freakily powerful power,? Kane began. A shrill scream from the nurses' office had us all on our feet and bounding to the room. When I reached the nurse's office I had to duck to avoid decapitation by a great big red firework. The thing thudded against the wall, and I kicked it into the Head's office before the long wire could burn to the end. I looked over at the table in the centre of the room, where the white sheet had slipped off a convulsing body.

?She was tied to the table!? The nurse cried as the body threw itself to the floor. I winced as Sophia's naked body writhed on the floor. Her hands flailed, and I pushed Kane into the opposite wall before a firework could hit him. The thing burst against the wall, and me ducking out the way still earned me singed hair.

?What the fuck is happening to her?? Kane yelled. Sophia finally stopped twisting on the tiles, curling into a ball and hugging at her slender legs.

?She's crying,? I realised. Safety and wisdom aside, I walked over to her and kneeled down. To be fair, a firework would probably just bounce off me. ?Sophia,? I said softly. ?Hey. It's me.? Kane's hand on my shoulder told me he was there as well. Sophia didn't respond at first, but a few minutes of coaxing had her open her eyes. She used to have the prettiest bright blue eyes, but the pair that glistened at me were a dark brown like Kane's.

Her lips parted, just so, to produce a whisper. ?Nathan?? She asked, a single word.

?Yeah.? I grinned down at her, hardly believing she was alive. Kane's grip on my shoulder was astonishingly strong.

?Where....? Sophia paused, closing her eyes. I thought she was going to fall asleep. ?Where's Kane??

?I'm right here!? Kane got down on the floor as well. ?Move up Nathan.?

?Kane!? Sophia breathed. She took a deep shuddering breath. ?Kane, Nathan... I want to go back to my room. Can we go home now??

?Of course we can. I can teleport you.? Kane offered his hand, but Sophia shook her head.

?No. I want Nathan to carry me.?

I picked her up as gently as I could. It was like holding a baby. ?Is this alright for you??

?Yes.? Sophia smiled, and closed her eyes. ?You got even bigger, didn't you. I like that.?

?So do I,? Kane agreed. We all laughed a little nervously, the nurse included. When I looked at her she was wiping her eyes.

?I'm gonna take Sophia to her room,? I told her. She just nodded and pulled out a tissue.

Kane leapt onto my back as I squeezed out of the door with Sophia. ?You can carry the two of us,? he said as he propped his head on my neck and wrapped his legs around me.

***

Kane and I spent the night in Sophia's room. Her behaviour fluctuated a lot, but it generally improved. She would go from wanting her parents to crying in a huddle, to asking how the rest of the flat was.

?Jennifer is fine. Corey is fine. Collete is fine. Kyle is fine. Harry is fine. We even saw Wendy the other day.? Kane replied eloquently as he stroked her hair. She sat up in bed, sipping at milk from a glass. ?She didn't kill Andy. We got the guy who did. And now you're gonna be ok.?

?You don't know that, Kane.? Sophia finished her milk and sighed. ?I was killed. I shouldn't be here. I feel different, and I don't know why. Something's changed.?

?It's gonna be fine,? Kane repeated determindly.

And things were, after a few mishaps and mysteries. Sophia's return was strange for everyone concerned, but the initial speculation wore off quickly. She wasn't killed, it was just an accident. She was better now, and people's eyes were changing colour all the time. Obviously the people who already knew she had died had a major secret to keep. Sometimes she would want to be alone, and all we could do was leave her to reflect and cry. It made her feel better afterwards, and over time she did it less and less. I think she felt like she deserved to be alive again, thanks to Kane.

Jennifer and Corey really got serious with one another, enough for Corey to distance himself from his country music because it offended her ears. Jennifer and Sophia were as close as ever.

Wendy moved back into the flat, taking Andy's old room. It took a long discussion as a flat, and some serious arm twisting, but Wendy was soon happily passing people the salt with her little gift and eating too many of Jennifer's sweets.

Harry seemed to perk up a great deal as well. Nobody could work out why, until he revealed he had a boyfriend... when I found out who it was I had to tell Kane. Liam made his boyfriend out to be a real stud, but Harry... bless him. Harry's generally demure attitude was a real dampener on Liam's extroverted flame, and they worked well as a pair when I saw them together. Liam was much less of an idiot when Harry was around ? the guy was actually a good influence. One day Harry threw out all of Andy's old cutlery, apart from a wooden spoon. It was labelled with an A on the handle, and whenever I use it without asking I feel like someone's watching me piss.

Colette was her usual abrupt self. I gave up trying to be too polite to her, but I think my little display of power impressed her. I sometimes caught her looking at my arms, or even my crotch, and she actually blushed once. I think there's hope for her.

The night Sophia returned to us, though, Kyle went missing. Just disappeared. Nobody knew what to do about it.

So Flat D was mostly a happy one.

What about me and Kane? Well, I didn't get any taller but over the following months I did bulk up a little more. Not too much, just enough to make my tight clothes that little bit more snug. Kane tried to teleport me once, and it simply didn't work. He couldn't even get me from my room to the kitchen. The guy himself didn't change all that much ? it was Kane, after all ? but looking after Sophia really revealed his softer side. I think all the time he spent looking after her changed how he felt, though. They didn't have sex, and one day Kane came to my room looking a little deflated.

?What's wrong?? I asked from my book. My new bed was larger than normal, and that was the way I liked it. I adjusted my position to get a better look at Kane. The afternoon light through the window showed his eyes to be glimmering in a suspicious way. Kane didn't cry, though.

?I told Sophia that I don't love her,? Kane said glumly. ?She's more like a younger sister. And she said that's how she feels about me.?

?That's a good thing, right?? I asked. ?Why are you so forlorn??

?Because I haven't finished with my confessions.? Kane sat on the bed and put my book on the floor. ?I love you, Nathan. Actually love you. More than I love myself, and that's a lot of love.?

I grinned and pulled Kane on top of me. ?I love you as well, Kane.?

[Demandred]

Hrmmm... I've rounded Oakswood off there. There's unresolved issues, but it felt like a good place to close it off. It doesn't mean I won't hark back to it again sometime. I just worry that when a series gets long people get put off. If you have any ideas or suggests for where to go from here - and I do have some, which part 9 left hints of - then by all means let me know. In the meantime though I'm going to start on something new and fresh.

Thanks,

Dem

[chimera0010]

what a great way to end it if its ended.

[philat99]

Thanks for a great read! This chapter seemed to end abruptly, but your following note explained why. Yes, there are loose ends which allow for future chapters. I'm looking forward to your next inspiration.
Mike

[tagsnola]

... and indubitable British! What a delight! Thank you for sharing these wonderful characters with us. I'm so glad Kane and Nathan finally got around to admitting the obvious!

[Reeza]

Thanks for all your work on this story. I enjoyed it very much and will look forward to anything else you choose to write.

[chocomus]

I liked the end, but i went a bit scared of sophia to came back changed, like a horror old movie I saw long time ago. animal graveyard or something like that.

Anyway, it was a good end. Thanks for posting

This is one of the sites masterpieces. I don't think i've ever seen such a good combination of growth, character development and humor. The only thing that I felt was lacking was a good endgame boss. Adam was cool, but i feel as though he was dispatched a little too easily. Even with it's minor flaws, this was a fantastic story and i look forward to many more of your excellent tales

[a_lost_prophet]

This sounds like an end, why does this sounds like an end, it cannot end!*hysterics*

[nj.]

I am in the US for a month, so I couldn't comment sooner.

I really enjoyed the story for the largest part (though I still think you rushed over the emotional impacts of the deaths a bit too much). I don't think it's a real end. It feels more like an 'end of book one'. And I kinda hope it is.

Overall I think the first few chapters were more intricate and funny, but all of it was good or better than that. So, thank you for your story!
I am in the US for the moment, so I didn't comment sooner.

I really enjoyed the story for the largest part (though I still think you rushed over the emotional impacts of the deaths a bit too much). I don't think it's a real end. It feels more like an 'end of book one'. And I kinda hope it is.

Overall I think the first few chapters were more intricate and funny, but all of it was good or better than that. So, thank you for your story!